Semiautomatic woven wire clamp



Aug, 3Q, 1949,. c. \NARD SEMIAU'I'OMATIC WOVEN WIRE CLAMP Filed 001.. 23, 1946 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR.

G. GUSTER WARD ATTEI RN EYE Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEMIAUTOMATIC WOVEN WIRE CLAMP Gustavious Custer Ward, Sugar Grove, N. 0.

Application October 2a, 1946, Serial No. 705,099

3 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to pushing and pulling implements of the stretcher type, and more specifically to an improved semi-automatic woven-wire clamp or wire-fence engaging device having multiple grips, a pulling attachment, and quick-detachable fastening means.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a clamp, preferably of all-metal construction for the wire fence fabric, which clamp is composed of a minimum number of parts that may be manufactured at low cost of production and assembled with facility to provide an implement of simple construction, which may be conveniently handled, and which is elfective in the performance of its functions.

The invention consists essentially in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts including a pair of metallic clamp bars or heads.

having clamping jaws in the nature of multigrips, with quick-detachable locking means, and equally quick-detachable pulling means for stretching the clamped wire fence or fabric, as hereinafter more particularly described and specifically set forth in my appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined and arranged in accord with one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention; but it will be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within the scope of my claims, Without departing from the principles of my invention.

In this disclosed all-metal equipment screws or bolts are utilized for attaching parts of the appliance, but it is obvious that integral castings may be employed in the manufacture of the implement, or various parts may be welded to the clamp bars, and materials other than metal may also be utilized in the construction of the implement.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing a physical embodiment of my invention with the clamp in position for use on a portion of a wire fence, and indicating the pull chain for stretching the fence or wire fabric.

Figure 2 is a top plan View, looking toward the upper end of the device of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a View in front elevation, as at line 3-3 of Fig. 1, with the clamp broken away for convenience of illustration, and indicating the wire fence in section.

Fig. 4 is a detail view at the bottom of the clamp showing one of the quick-detachable fasteners for the sectional clamp.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail, transverse, sectional view showing the wear faces of the gripping jaws of the clamp, and one of the quickdetachable fasteners for the clamp bars or heads.

In carrying out my invention the sectional clamp is made up of metal bars I and 2 of suitable length for adaptation to standard heights of wire fences, and a portion of the wire fabric or fence is indicated at F. The bars, of suitable size and shape in cross section, on their adjoining faces, are fashioned as gripping jaws which include a longitudinally extending, offset tongue 3. on the male bar or head, and a complementary central depression or groove 4 on the other or female bar or head. The tongue and groove extend from end to end of the bars and they form a slot that provides an elongated grip against the opposite sides of the fence. Under pressure, or compression of the clamp bars the wire fabric is bent or flexed around the tongue to insure a rigid grip that will resist and withstand the pull required for stretching the fence, without marring the fence, and without substantial wear on the jaws that frictionally engage the fabric.

The sectional clamp bars are readily separable, and they are provided with a number, here shown as two, of quick-detachable fastening devices, each of which includes a U-shaped metal yoke 5 of resilient metal, a portion of which is rigidly mounted on one of the bars, as l, by welding, or the like, leaving the integral arms 1 and 8 of the yoke free from the bar, and these yoke-arms are of suitable length to project beyond the supporting bar a suitable distance to receive and embrace the complementary clamp bar 2, as best seen in Fig. 5.

For co-action with the longer arm 8 of the yoke a horizontally arranged plate 9 is rigidly attached to the outer face of the clamp bar 2, and this plate terminates in a bolt or latch ID that is adapted to engage in a slot ll of the yoke-arm 8 on the bar I. Thus, in Fig. 5 it will be seen that after the two clamp bars have been placed in juxtaposition at opposite sides of the fence F the slotted arms 8 of the two fastening devices are snapped over the end of the bolts ill to lock or fasten the clamp upon the fence.

Means are provided for attaching power actuated mechanism to the clamp, whereby the two joined bars are made to tightly and rigidly grip the fence, and the pull applied to the clamp is instrumental in tightening the grip of the tongue The draft chain 15 is passed across the front:

face of the clamp and throughanopening in the wire fabric or fence F, arid" thence" a'rou'n'd a pulley I6 that is journaled'alt I lin' a; bracket plate or yoke 18 that may be weldedor otherwise rigidly attached to the outer face of the clamp bar i.

As indicated in Fig. 2,. when power is applied to the draft chain i= the'bar' 2 is pressed against or drawn into close contact with the bar I" to rigidly grip the wire} fabric of the fence F, and under the pull; of the di'jaft chain the clamp stretches the fabric of the fence into proper shape. I

v After one stretching, operation, the quick-detachable fasteners may be unlocked, the clamp bars separated, and the" end of the chain is detached from its anchoring" eye ('6, to permit" removal of the clamp Bari,- and the latter may again be applied to another eernerier the fence" for a succeeding stretching eeer tien.

naving'thes milydesent'edmyinvention, what i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. The combination a wire fenee clamp, with a pair of clamp bar's adapted to grip opposite sides" of a fence; of ce acting means on said bars for'niiiig guick-detaeirabie fasteners; an anchor mounted on the outer face of one bar, a pun-chain detaehatl fastened te said anchor and extending aeress thenush faces of the bars, and a guide-pulley for the' chain mounted on the other bar of the clamp. I

2. In a wire stretcher, the coih'hi'nation which comprises a female bar having a wire receiving groove therein, a male bar having a tongue extended into the wire receiving groove of the female bar, U-shaped yoke elements carried by the female bar having extended arms for receiving the male bar, one of the arms of each of the yoke elements having a slot therein, latches carried by the said male bar positioned to extend into the slots of the extended arms of the"yokeelementsg a bracket mounted on the female bar and extended from one side thereof, and a chain anchored to the male bar and extended through the bracket of the female bar whereby with the bars latched together a force on the chain urges the bars together.

3; a' wire stretcher, the combination which comprises a female bar having a wire receiving groove therein, a male bar having a tongue extended" into the wire receiving groove of the female bar, arms carried by the female bar and extended for receiving the male bar, some of said arms having slots therein, latches carried by the said male bar positioned to extend into the slots of the extended arms of the female bar, a centrally positioned yoke mounted on the female bar, extended from one side thereof and having a roller therein, an arm extended from the male bar and positioned to register with the yoke of the female bar, and a chain attached to the arm extended from. the male bar and extended through the yoke of the female bar whereby with the bars latched together a force on the chain. urges the bars into clamping relation.

G. CUSTER WARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,045,958 Dillon Dec. 3, 1912 1,435,508 Spalding Nov. 14, 1922 2,129,569 De Lay Sept. 6, 1938 2,352,694 Daugherty July 4, 1944 

